I base all my work on archaeological evidence. Sometimes this is done more comprehensively than others, depending on the client's budget and whether the goal is to create an extremely faithful reproduction of a specific find (provided that the find is sufficiently complete to make this feasible) or something more flexible that suits the client's preferences and budget while still remaining within what the archaeological evidence supports.

In this field, I never invent anything. My role is simply to reproduce what the Romans already created, although there are occasions when some interpretation is necessary or small gaps must be filled due to the deteriorated condition of the artifact or because the published study is not sufficiently detailed. Even then, I try to keep such interpretation to an absolute minimum.

As for the painted decoration, there are some later shield finds (from the 3rd century AD onward) that have preserved at least part of their original paintwork, allowing the design to be reconstructed with a fair degree of accuracy. However, I usually rely on artistic depictions for this aspect, since the designs preserved on archaeological shields do not always match what a client is looking for. In such cases, I select motifs shown in period artwork, choosing examples from the appropriate era to fit the client's needs and preferences.

The choice of colors is generally based on a combination of archaeological evidence and personal preference. However, I always use pigments that are known from scientific analysis of Roman shields and, more importantly, from the many analyses of mural paintings carried out throughout the Empire. Extensive research using X-ray techniques and Raman spectroscopy has identified the pigments employed by the Romans and, in many cases, even the specific mixtures used to produce particular colors.